Mother’s Day is upon us. Commencement weekend is upon us. TCU’s first-ever graduate-only ceremony is upon us. And for one TCU family, it’s all setting the perfect scene.
On May 9, Kyle Fields ’23 will graduate with his Master of Liberal Arts degree as his mother, Brandi Fields, earns her Executive MBA.
“Sharing this moment with my son is something I never imagined,” Brandi said. “We’ve supported each other through late nights and strict deadlines. To walk the stage together, especially on Mother’s Day weekend, is an incredible and meaningful moment for our family.”
Before entering the AddRan College of Liberal Arts for his graduate education, Kyle earned his undergraduate degree in communication studies from the Bob Schieffer College of Communication. Throughout his time at TCU, Kyle worked as an equipment manager for TCU Athletics. His work with the TCU Women’s Beach Volleyball team took an exhilarating turn this year, as the team won its first-ever national championship this month.
“My responsibilities involve all of their equipment and apparel needs. I do the ordering, budgeting, forecasting for anything the teams need. I also manage their inventory, practice and game day set up, laundry and apparel maintenance and working with different vendors,” he said.
“It was a demanding role with lots of moving parts, but seeing the team win a national championship made it all worth it – an unforgettable way to finish my college career.”
Despite long days working as a graduate assistant for equipment services, Kyle remained committed to his academic goals.
“There were days I’d put in 12 hours at work and still have to focus on assignments,” he said. “The flexibility of the MLA program, especially being online, really helped me stay on track and keep pushing forward.”
Looking ahead, Kyle has his eye set on bigger things.
“Sports have always been a big part of my life,” he said. “After graduation, I want to continue to work in the sports industry. The ultimate goal is to work for Nike.”
TCU Board of Trustees member Elliott Hill ’86 has a similar story, starting as a student on the TCU Athletics staff and eventually rising to his current role as president and CEO of Nike.
On a journey of her own, the path Kyle’s mom, Brandi, took to TCU Neeley was anything but conventional.
“Returning to the classroom after so many years was a challenge,” she said. “But learning alongside experienced professionals from diverse backgrounds made it incredibly rewarding. The insights I gained from both professors and peers were invaluable.”
Now, both bleeding purple and ready to be proud Horned Frog alumni, mother and son agree that sharing the commencement weekend will be a spirited ending to their time at TCU.
Read more from TCU Neeley about Brandi Fields and from the AddRan College of Liberal Arts about Kyle Fields.
Learn the details of spring 2025 commencement, and read more about the weekend, the graduate ceremony and the honorary doctorate being awarded to producer Taylor Sheridan.